State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister of the State Senior General Min Aung Hlaing addresses SAC meeting 15/2021
Nay Pyi Taw September 24
State Administration Council held its meeting 15/2021 at the meeting hall of SAC Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon with an address by State Administration Council Chair-man Prime Minister of the State Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Mini-ster Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members General Mya Tun Oo, Admiral Tin Aung San, General Maung Maung Kyaw, Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, Mahn Nyein Maung, U Thein Nyunt, U Khin Maung Swe, Daw Aye Nu Sein, Jeng Phang Naw Taung, U Moung Har, U Sai Lone Hsai, Saw Daniel, Dr Banya Aung Moe, U Shwe Kyein and Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Secretary Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dway and Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo.
In his keynote address, the Senior General said the govern-ment has carried out the COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment in all seriousness. Globally, there were over 231 million positive cases and over 4.7 million deaths from the virus. Myanmar’s infection rate is sixth highest among the ASEAN and fatality rate fourth highest. From the date infection was detected in the country till 23 September, Myanmar had 453,407 confirmed cases and 17,343 deaths. Among the ASEAN countries, Indonesia has the highest number of confirmed cases at over four million and over 140,000 deaths. Philippines stood second at over 2.4 million positive cases and over 37,000 deaths; Malaysia third at over 2.1 million positive cases and over 24,000 deaths; Thailand fourth at 1.5 million positive cases and over 15,000 deaths. In Myanmar infection rate exceeded 40 percent in July.
Thanks to the effective prevention, control and treatment undertakings, infection rates fell to 8 or 9 percent at present.
As the infection rate falls, the government has arranged a two weeks off and two weeks on schedule for offices. But, schools will remain close until 24 October as a safe level can be reached only when the infection rate falls below 5 percent. Sinovac vaccine can be given to children 12 years and above. So, two million doses of the vaccine donated by China will be given to students for safely reopen the schools. Now, the vaccine is being given at a rate of about 300,000 persons per day. The nation has received 15.6 million doses. Till this morning, 9,746,547 have been vaccinated. Of them, 3,585,906 have been vaccinated twice and 2,574,735 have received the first dose. Ten million more doses will arrive in October, so there will be an uninterrupted vaccination program.
Thanks to the serious efforts of officials for the availability of vaccines, medicines and oxygen, infection rate falls. Public awareness and participation
also plays a vital role. But infec-tion rate is still high in some of the regions, states and border areas. Stay -at -home rules have been relaxed in the townships where infection rate drops.
COVID-19 triggers a rise in the transportation costs, pro-duction costs and commodity prices to a certain degree. The country never faces food shortage as it is an agro-based country. There is not any food problem in the country because of the arrangements of officials of regions and states and Tatmadaw to continuously produce food. This year’s rain provides dams with adequate volume of water for irrigation. Plans should be made to effectively used the stored water for irrigation and enough water for monsoon pa-ddy. Cotton should be cultivated as one of the country’s main crops. The government is encouraging cotton cultivation.
The country is importing cooking oil as it could not fulfill its local demand. Hence, farmers should grow high-yield oil crops such as oil palm, sunflo-wer, corn and soybean. People should reduce oil consumption for health and fitness and oil sown acreage should be extended. So, the country can reduce foreign currency expense for cooking oil exports.
The country is now generat-ing energy from hydropower, solar power, diesel, coal and natural gas. If the country can fully harness renewable energy sources – hydropower and solar power – it will be able to export its surplus energy. As it cannot fully use them yet, the country is using its onshore and offshore gas for export and local consumption. Gas and coal are essential fuel for factories. As some of the factories were closed because of the lack of gas and oil, programs must be adopted for providing the two fuels to the factories under a priority program. So, the policy of using less gas and coal and more renewable energy for power generation has been adopted.
Production businesses should be prioritized based on farming in which 70 percent of the co-untry population are engaged. In order to disseminate farming techniques, from region/state-wise schools and institutes to colleges and university must be opened. Farms products can be used both for local consumption and exports to earn foreign currency.
Efforts are being made for ensuring prosperity of the State. To enjoy prosperity of the nation, arrangements are being made to realize the disciplined democracy and have good income, jobs, free from disease, seasonal festivities and fanta-stic measures. If Myanmar tries hard for everything, it will reach the middle class among ASEAN countries within five years and the top level within ten years. If so, all need to try hard with above and underground resources and adequate human resources. Myanmar citizens have the family spirit to give a helping to each other. Hence, first priority must be given to all citizens to have a proper living standard with individual income in conformity with the current prices.
With regard to the internal peace, the country has not tasted the peace cent per cent from the post-independence era to date. It is necessary to restore the peace for ensuring prosperous country. To be able to restore peace, people need to understand democracy and actual situation of the State. Democracy means the leader-ship of those elected by the majority under the law. But they need to emphasize the wish of the minority. Myanmar lost her independence as of 1886. Youths of the country studied the poli-tics to regain the independence during the colonial era and they had the ideology of socialism. They brought the diverse political concepts along with the independence. In the early post-independence era, violent conflicts were based on diverse political ideologies and ethnic affairs.
In the post-independence era, the country was ruled by the AFPFL government which was formed with politicians ho-lding the concepts on left and right wings. They faced contro-versial measures in operating the projects. Due to political instability and conflicts among the ethnics, General Ne Win was assigned the responsibilities of Caretaker Government in 1958 exception for the constitution.
The Tatmadaw took the responsibilities in 1962 by forming the Revolutionary Council. During the period, some persons of the Tatmadaw believed in socialism. Due to ideological controversies among the political leaders at the dialogues, the decision was adopted to implement the single party system. Likewise, youths and ethnic groups faced controversies in socialism and democracy.
In 1988 when the Tatmadaw government took the responsibilities, the centralization system was realized as the democracy was not matured. Reform processes were implemented step by step for democratization process. The market economic system was created in conformity with the administrative system.
As of 2011, the country has been on the path of multi-party democracy with formation of many political parties. As it is multi-party democracy system, there is impossible to cause the political disunity. All can do the politics under the law without any prohibitions. It is necessary to correctly apply the political system. Students need to emphasize learning in their student life.
Council members need to consider the actual conditions for political and economic affairs and international relations to effectively benefit the country.
If all the people cooperate with the government in the transi-tional period, everything can be done stability. Efforts are being made to do the best for the State. It will be beneficial for all as all the people carry out their tasks with independently critical thinking for the State to talks appropriate speeches and do the suitable works.
The multi-party democracy is being realized in the country. Myanmar is a Union inhabited by all ethnic nationals since yore. Myanmar, a sovereign nation, has designated the boundary with neighbouring countries. All ethnic people need to unitedly live in the country with same will and same rights. Politicians whose ideologies are in diverse with the peace need to cooperate
with the government with co-rrect attitude over the multi-party democracy system. It is necessary to peacefully shape democracy of Myanmar in the international community. It is necessary to strive for peaceful process, armed bullying and governing with fear over the public not inconformity with the democracy is unacceptable. Hence, the Tatmadaw does not directly concern with the State administration and assign the relevant civilian administrative bodies.
Everybody needs to do things in unison with equal rights for development of the country. Especially, emphasis must be placed on undertaking of development tasks in states and less developed areas to contribute much to the peace process. Efforts must be made for improvement of health, education, social and economic affairs of the local people as much as possible. The Senior General expressed his attitude to solve the problems through armed struggling. Sometimes, such process is done for ensur-ing security of life and property of the people. Only when the country enjoys internal peace will the multi-party democracy process the people inspire be implemented. If so, the country will meet development. Hence, the council needs to lead the endeavours.
Council members U Thein Nyunt, Mahn Nyein Maung, U Khin Maung Swe, Jeng Phang Naw Taung, Daw Aye Nu Sein, U Moung Har, Saw Daniel, Dr Banya Aung Moe and U Shwe Kyein discussed relevant ministries to systematically observe and compile the data for providing political know-ledge to the new generations, withdrawl of filing the cases of some persons from the political malpractices, amendment of provisions on rights of ethnics mentioned in the constitution, holding of public donations for members of the Sangha from the Buddhist learning centres and monasteries, opening of schools at opportune time, wi-der cultivation of quality coffee plantations to earn income of foreign exchange, emphasis on political security mentioned
in the national security law, systematic formation of Myanmar traditional sports federations, efficient use of fuel and electricity at ministries, payment of electric bills in installment, assistance for cultivation ele-phant foot yam tuber in Chin State for local food sufficiency, supervision for projects not to cause waste of State fund, extension of researches in education, agriculture and livestock breeding, solving the problems of the people threa-tened by the armed terrorists with arms, complete construction of Ye-Phayathonzu-Than-
byuzayat road, allotment of land plot for construction of Mon State cultural museum, supervision for offending the directives, rules and regulations of COVID-19, and opening of departmental offices in Palaung Self-Administered Zone.
Next, the Senior General said the lawsuits filed against those for their political cause will be reviewed, while scrutiny will be conducted as to whether they have violated other laws or not. Donations by all public well-wishers will be arranged for the members of the Sangha from Pariyatti monasteries. The State is planning to reopen schools and the students aged 12 and above will vaccinated against COVID-19. The plan to grow Robusta coffee will be considered. Currently, Arabica coffee grown in PyinOoLwin, Pinlaung and Ywangan is getting a good price with strong market.
As for national security legi-slation, discussion is underway to make all necessary preparations. Regarding population security, measures are being taken in accord with the 1982 citizenship law. Plans are being made to enable Myanmar traditional athletes to participate in the SEA Games. Supervisory measures will be taken for systematic use of fuel, electricity and telephone at the ministries. Meanwhile, the State is taking steps to receive the revenues it deserves. It is crucial to earn revenues for the development tasks in the regions and states.
The lawsuits filed under Section 505 are being dropped after scrutiny. Coordination will be sought for Chin State to get cooperative loans for agriculture and livestock breeding as re-gional food security is important. A land plot has been allotted to build a Mon State cultural museum. Measures are being taken for boosting tourism in Kayin and Mon states, while Phayathonzu-Thanbyuzayat road is being upgraded. Re-gional level departments will be established in Palaung SelfAdministered Zone, the Senior General said.
In his concluding remark, the Senior General said currently in the economic sector, both export and import are decreasing. Yet, border trade is improving, so efforts will be made to reach normal trade at border trade camps. To improve trade, it is necessary to boost products based on agriculture. Having developed a market, paddy, meat and fish, fruits and beans and pulses must be pro-duced in good quality. Taninthayi Region has been permitted to build a fish auction market in Myeik for the development of marine industry. Moreover, special economic zones are being built in Dawei and Thilawa while permission has been granted to establish an industrial zone in Pathein. With region-wise manufacturing development, there will be a proportionate population ratio. Mandalay Region is trying to develop the industries based on local products for manufacturing finished products. Businesses depending on underground and aboveground resources have their limitations. Therefore, the manufacturing of local products should be emphasized. With the development of domestic industries, the people will get jobs and earn their income.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we have considered not only the third wave but also the fourth wave. Therefore, oxygen plants were built. When oxygen consumption peaked in the country, enough could be produced. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical factories are en-deavouring to produce COVID-19 vaccines and medicines for treatment. The reopening of schools is important for the country. To do this, COVID-19 prevention is required and that needs public cooperation. Council members are also to work together in the effort.